Just a Boy Who Made the Wrong Choices---Draco Malfoy One-Shots
by iamaly99
Summary: Maybe it was true that he was no assassin, and perhaps he had done things that would surprise anyone. Perhaps he was just born that way. Or maybe...perhaps he was just a boy who made the wrong choices... Just a series of Draco Malfoy one-shots. Enjoy!
1. Boarding the Hogwarts Express

"Now, now, young Draco..."

"I'm not young anymore!" Draco snapped.

"Right, we know you're not young anymore, Draco-"

"And stop treating me like a child all the time, mother, I'm sixteen! And I think you're forgetting that I'm"-he pointed to himself with a rather hard, jabbing finger-"the one the Dark Lord has given this mission, and if you disagree with him-"

"No, no, Draco! I wasn't-I was only saying-you're my son..."

"And father is your husband! If he's a Death Eater, then why can't I be one, too?" He must have realized how childish he was sounding, because he added quickly, "The Dark Lord knows I am capable of doing this, or else he wouldn't have assigned me the task."

Narcissa froze. "Look...Draco...he isn't exactly completely confident in you..."

"What're you getting at? Of course he's confident in me, why shouldn't he be?!"

Narcissa cast a wary look around her shoulder before saying in a low whisper, "Severus Snape's made the Unbreakable Vow to protect you."

"What? Why? I don't need to be protected, I can defend myself-!"

"Against Aurors, the Ministry, the other professors, and anyone else who may try to stop you? Even Lucius wouldn't refuse the offer of being protected under any Death Eater, especially someone such as Severus."

Draco fell silent. He knew that his mother was right. Tugging up the collar of his robes, he growled, "I don't trust him."

His blue eyes flickered to his mother's for a moment. He'd expected her to give him a look of shock, but all she said was, "I take it you've been speaking with your Aunt Bellatrix?"

Draco frowned, a look of pure contempt upon his pale face. "So what if I have?"

"Bella's a bit..._superstitious_...when it comes to these things. I should know, having grown up with her." Narcissa placed a loving hand over her son's wrist. The train behind them whistled deeply.

Draco yanked back his arm. "I've got to go, mother, I'll miss the train."

"Okay, Draco...just promise me one thing."

Draco, who had turned to start walking, turned back to glance at her.

"Trust Snape."

Draco said nothing. He just turned back and continued to walk, entering the car of the train, slamming the door behind him.


	2. Well Done, Draco

Draco closed the door quietly behind him, his knees shaking slightly, holding onto the sides of the walls to steady himself.

"Ah...dearest Draco..."

Draco jumped at the sound of the voice, like a hiss.

He opened his mouth to speak, but couldn't find words.

Slowly, the man in the chair before him turned around. "I take it you've completed the task I set you?"

"Y-yes, my lord." His voice broke and shook out of not pain, but fear.

Something like a sinister, malevolent grin spread across Voldemort's pale face. "_Wonderful_..."

A large snake slithered across the floor, onto the armchair, where Voldemort placed his arm. The cobra slid its way up its master's arm and came to rest on his shoulders.

There was an awkward silence, finally broken by Draco.

"That snake of yours...Nagini, I mean...she's a wonderful snake."

Voldemort seemed unaffected. "Flattery gets you nowhere with me, Draco."

Draco turned an even paler shade of white, something that would not have been thought possible. "Er...of course, sir, I was just...she really is a marvelous snake, I didn't mean..."

"No matter, Draco," Voldemort spoke. "Please, do sit down..." He gestured towards the armchair to his left.

The two were seated, Voldemort still caressing the snake.

"I understand that Albus Dumbledore is indeed dead?"

Draco nodded.

"_Marvelous_...splendid..." He turned to the snake and hissed something at it in Parseltongue.

_"Sorry, Nagini...the boy has completed the mission successfully."_

The snake hissed, then recoiled onto its master's lap.

"What were you saying to it?" Draco blurted out, unable to stop himself.

Voldemort turned, his slitted red eyes gleaming. "It's none of your business."

Somehow, however, Draco understood: the snake had been waiting, like its master, to kill, to devour him...the horrifying image flashed into his mind, burned into his eyes...

After a moment or two, Voldemort finally said, "It's awfully late. You'd best get to bed."

Draco didn't dare object. He crept up the staircase, down the hall, into his room, and plopped himself onto his bed.

As he closed his eyes, images flashed before him of Dumbledore falling backward, being hit with _Avada Kedavra_, and though Draco refused to admit it to even himself, he knew that he had just done something horrible.


End file.
